‘Safmarine Agulhas’

27th June 2006 – 31st July 2006

Because of an engine failure, container ship ‘Safmarine Agulhas’ ran heavily aground on Monday night 26th June at approximately 21h15, shortly after leaving the port of East London en route to Durban. The vessel had 662 tonnes of heavy fuel on board and 88 tonnes of diesel oil. She was carrying 469 loaded containers and 112 empty containers.



SMIT Salvage was contracted on LOF2000 to assist the vessel. Salvage crews from Cape Town and Rotterdam were on site by the early hours of 27th June and equipment, additional personnel and other resources including a powerful S61 helicopter were being mobilized. SMIT salvage tug ‘Smit Amandla’ and oil pollution abatement vessel ‘Kuswag IV’ were also immediately mobilized to the area.

Of paramount importance during the salvage operation is the protection of the marine environment and the safety and protection of the public and salvage personnel.

Scope
The main focus of the salvage operation is the removal of all heavy fuel oil and the cargo removal operation - which is necessary for the purpose of lightening the vessel to aid refloating attempts. Both operations continue on a 24 hour basis, as and when operational conditions allow.

The fuel removal operation began on 1st July. The fuel was pumped from the vessel into rail tank cars located on the Western Breakwater in the port of East London.

The removal of containerized deck cargo began on 4th July. A 400 tonnes crane, which is capable of lifting some 33 tonnes at the required reach, is located on the Western Breakwater and has a reach sufficient to work the cargo from the ship to the breakwater. On 6th July more than half of the containers on deck have been discharged.

The grounding forces acting on the vessel combined with the effect of the continuous action of the sea on the casualty are beginning to have a detrimental effect on the vessel’s structural integrity. Salvors have reported water ingress in two of the cargo holds and the engine room on 5th July. The structural integrity of the vessel was continued to be monitored and unfortunately the unavoidable deterioration made any further refloating attempts extremely difficult.



After the completion of the bunker and cargo removal and with the mutual decision of all parties concerned the vessel was declared a total loss.

For an overview of all press releases of this project, please click here.